I have a seminary peer who is quite adamant that it is the duty of Christian leaders to confront homosexuality within the Church. He, like many well-known and revered evangelical leaders, believe opposition to homosexuality in the Christian community to be non-negotiable.
Why?
The Church is riddled with pathological liars, greedy businessmen, covetous suburbanites, vitriolic ranters, political manipulators, sexual abusers, and quite simply, a huge mass of people who consistently fail to fulfill the greatest commandment, to love God and love our neighbors. I do not preclude myself from the aforementioned group, as I have spent much time considering my own "worthiness" as a minister. Why is it that people who struggle with the sin of homosexuality are the only ones barred from the "believing" church?
I have never heard a satisfactory explanation for this apparent inconsistency. I have been told that homosexuality is a sin more egregious than others, a claim that does not hold up to Scriptural scrutiny. References in Mosaic law are found indistinguishably from hundreds of other laws, most of which the Church have thrown out entirely. Punishable by death? So was disobedience toward one's parents. Jesus never once mentions it, although he does speak against pride and greed at length. Paul mentions it among the abominations in Romans 1, however it is in the midst of a lengthy list of sins, most of which are tolerated as a matter of course in every church I have ever been to or been made aware of. So where exactly does Scripture raise this offense above any other?
I have also been told that homosexuality is a "lifestyle" sin, wherein the offender lives the whole of their existence in a state of constant rebellion. However that is the very picture Paul gives of all people in Ephesians 2. Also, I know of many shrewed businessmen who head the finance boards of many churches who horde wealth and give little, and with what little they do give is announced in public, many times with "naming rights" on buildings, events, etc. Their entire lives revolve around accumulating more, and everything they have they view not a blessing, but as the fruit of their own labor, contra clear biblical teaching from Genesis to Revelation.
It makes me sad to see how hurt the Church has made its many neighbors who subscribe to a different lifestyle, and even worse to see how this issue has marginalized the possibility of following Jesus to those who see an intolerant, hypocritical crowd that claims his name.
1 comment:
I have heard the argument before, that gays do not, cannot, change, and therefore it is futile to have them in church. I actually wrote about this concern in an issue of the Samford Crimson last spring. Human sexuality is actually far more fluid than most like to admit, and stating that gays will not change because it is their identity lessens the power of Christ. The whole basis of of Christian belief is that God can change anyone from anything. It is not for the church to decide who can and can't change.
Your point about sermons is also well taken. But I would like to suggest that sermons on greed, lust, etc. usually pass by most congregations with a yawn, whereas sermons on homosexuality "fire up" the congregation like few can, due probably to the fact that the congregation tends to feel "safe." Incidentally, the first sermon I ever heard in Birmingham was on the "wickedness of homosexuality," the vitriol coming from the pastor was amazing, as he derided famous gay celebrities for 45 minutes. I wonder how many of the mostly elderly congregation were convicted of this type of sin?
Post a Comment